Between Heaven And Hell 01 - Hunted Hunter
by Nye-Lung
Summary: Post Seson5 AU: Civil war in heaven and hell. A year passed by and Sam is still gone and Dean has a family to protect. Everything changes, when Castiel shows up and tosses Dean back on the battlefield. Raphael is tired of waiting and tries now to break all seals to Lucifer's and Michael's cage. And Sams. Dean has to stop him. But that would mean giving up on Sam... First 'episode'
1. Prologue - Angel on my doorstep

Alright, my first english fanfiction. I've been writing before - a lot actually, but all German, as that is my mother tongue. So, if you happen to notice major mistakes in my story: Please tell me. I'd really appreciate that. Especially for kommata. I set far too many for the English language. It just looks wrong, if there are any less. Any of you know that feeling?

Whatever, back to the point. First English story. Reviews would be really welcome, as it's also my first story to Supernatural. Well, and it seems, it's going to be some kind of series... You know, like writing an alternative sixth season. I should really shoot and salt this damn plotbunny.

I wish you pleasurable reading (does one say it that way?)

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Prologue - Angel on my doorstep

Cicero, Indiana

The doorbell rang. It was 11:30 in the evening and the doorbell rang. Ben was already fast asleep and Lisa possibly too. There was only Dean awake now, because he had had another nightmare of Sam falling, jumping into the pit. Just another nightmare of hell. God, one would think, he'd gotten used to them by now. It's been a year since Sam fell.

The doorbell rang again. It was strange, how the persistense of the nightly intruder reminded him of someone. Dean groaned and heaved himself up from the couch, beer still in his hand. He should stop drinking so much.

The doorbell rang a third time. Dean sighed heavily, checked the devil's trap in front of his door a last time and opened only after that. His breathing stopped for a moment and the beer nearly glid out of his suddenly numb hands. "Cass..."

"Dean."

Dean hadn't seen the angel since that day in Stull Cemetery. Castiel hadn't changed one bit. Except... "You learned how to ring a doorbell." That was probably the most stupid thing to say, Dean thought just a moment later.

"Yes." He gave Dean his best intense stare.

"Why are you here, Cass?" He stopped for a moment to think. "You want to come in?"

"Yes, I think I want to."

Dean gave him a small smile. Cass was still Cass. Completely clueless, when it came to human behaviour. Cass looked around carefully as Dean guided him into the living room.

"So, Cass, what brings you here?" Dean opened another beer for himself. The last one had vanished between the door and the living room.

"There is civil war in heaven and now the demons have started moving again."

"Woah, woah, woah, wait a moment. Civil war in heaven? Cass, care to elaborate?" That was going a tad too fast for Dean.

"God is still gone and with Michael gone, too, the different parties started waging war." Cass' face stayed completely serious. His gaze was troubled though.

"Parties?"

"Raphael is trying to reset Armageddon. He wants to break Lucifer and Michael out of the cage."

Dean remembered now, why it was so different to talk to Cass. He always stated facts and didn't care to tell, how they added up. "How?"

"The cage is built through all its seals. Sixtysix are broken, sixhundred left. If all seals are broken, the cage opens."

"And here I thought, we stopped it. Hell, Sam jumped in the pit to stop it." Dean rested his forehead in his hands. He couldn't believe it. It was just too much. "Can we rescue Sam then?"

"Yes." Cass shrugged his shoulders. Dean wasn't sure, if Cass knew, what that gesture meant. "What is left of him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"He was inside this cage for a year with two angry angels."

"Cass...?" He startled over his own sentence, when Cass suddenly laid his head to one side, as if listening to something.

"I have to go."

"Cass, don't give me that crap. _Why_ did you come here?"

"Dean, you have to protect the seals. Lucifer and Michael must never walk this earth again."

"_Why_?" He stopped for a moment to calm down. He couldn't raise his voice now or Lisa would wake up. "Cass, why me?"

Castiel took a step towards Dean. "Listen, Dean, most of the last year I have spent as a multidimensional celestial wavelength. At the moment, I'm not good at this whole human thing." He inhaled deeply. "You are the first man. You can stop it." Dean froze solid, when the whole intensity of Cass' gaze captured him. "I trust you to stop it."

"Cass, I can't do it."

"Why?" Cass leaned his head to one side. His unreadable stare became questioning. God, Dean had completely forgotten, how difficult it could be to talk to an angel, especially this one.

"Because I am not, who I used to be. I haven't hunted even once this last year. I got rusty." And he didn't want to go hunting again. He lost enough.

Cass just stared at him for a couple of minutes. "When I told you, you weren't the burnt and broken shell of a man, I believed you to be, I really believed that. I know, I was right about you. You are no burnt and broken shell. Why do you still act like that?"

"Because I am." Dean heard his voice break. "I am burnt and broken. I am so tired of this life."

"I don't understand." Against his will, Dean had to laugh. That was so like Cass, it hurt.

"I don't as well. I guess I just keep on fighting, because I don't know better." A sad smile crossed his face. "You really want me to protect anything?"

"Yes."

And he vanished.

"Great."

* * *

So much for the prologue. Did I picture Cass and Dean right here? I'm not so sure... Next chapter in progress.


	2. Chapter 1 - Welcome, my old life!

Alright, another chapter finished and this damn plotbunny still won't calm down.

Just a short question: Is my manner of expression very weird?

* * *

Chapter 1 - Welcome, my old life!

When Lisa woke up, Dean was nowhere to be found. "Dean?", she called sleepily descending the stairs.

"Lisa, wake Ben." It was his ordering tone. Well, he could order her to do anything, when they were in bed. Outside... Outside she didn't like it that much.

"What's going on, Dean?" She held back a yawn, when she entered the kitchen. Dean was packing.

"We've got to go." He made his way through the kitchen's cabinets until he found his collection of knives and daggers. Silver, pure iron, bronze, brass. There was even a bamboo one - blessed by a shinto priest.

"Dean, I don't understand. What is going on?" Maybe she wasn't fully awake at the moment. Why would Dean need his knives again?

"Cass was here. He asked for my help." Dean rubbed his temples. He looked as though he hadn't slept all night, one hour at most.

"You are hunting again..." Lisa did her best not to sound reproachful. She knew, it was a part of Dean's life and that it would catch up to him eventually. Actually, she'd thought, it would take less than a month. She'd gotten a year.

"I have to." Lisa could feel his conflict.

She closed her eyes for a second and crossed her arms. "You told me, you were done hunting. That you just wanted a normal life."

Dean looked at her, as if she'd slapped him. "Yes", he responded hoarse. "I want a normal life without hunting, but-"

"That's not, who you are. I understand", she cut him off. "I knew, that, eventually, you would go hunting again. I thought, it would happen much sooner." Lisa looked down in her lap. She couldn't meet Dean's eyes now. It would hurt too much. She didn't want him to leave.

"Thank you", Dean whispered after an eternally long and incredibly short silence. "You know, I don't want to leave you two like this, but Cass gave so much... I have to go, when he asks for something in return."

Being in Dean's arms felt unbelievably good. Lisa remembered that now, when he held her tight, as though she could vanish any moment. "Then let us come with you", she heard herself say.

"Lisa, it's too dangerous." His hand stroked her back. He wanted to touch her a last time before he left, Lisa realized.

"And you think it's less dangerous here?" Sarcasm dripped off every syllable. "You know, that the monsters and demons, you are hunting, will go after us, eventually. It won't take them long to find your weakness. Us." Lisa brushed off his embrace and took his face in her hands. "We will be safe with you."

Dean seemed to search for the right words. "I don't want that life for you." He hesitated. "You would have to stay in motel rooms, Ben won't be able to go to school and you won't be able to work."

Now it was Lisa's turn to hesitate. Did she really want that? Did she want that for Ben? But then... what choice did she have? Demons would be after her and Ben, with or without Dean, because he loved her and Ben. "We will find a way."

Dean bent forward to kiss her. Lisa sighed longingly. It must be pure crazy, that made her make this decision, but for the moment, she didn't regret it. A little gust of wind and Dean reaching out for a special blade - an archangel's blade - made her look up.

"You have to leave. Now."

Dirty trenchcoat, dark blue attire, dark hair and disturbingly blue eyes. That should be Castiel. He looked good, although he certainly wasn't Lisa's type.

"Cass? How much time do we have?" Lisa could feel how Dean's muscles tensed immediately.

"Ten minutes. At most", the angel replied. He laid his head to one side. "Five."

"Lisa, get Ben." Dean shoved her out of the kitchen and ran towards the garage, where his old car stood.

As soon as Lisa closed the car door behind her, Dean hit the gas pedal.

"Wait, what about Castiel?", she yelled, while stripping herself in.

"He'll catch up to us. He stayed to buy us some time."

"But will he be okay?", Ben asked from the backseat. He seemed scared.

"He's been through worse", Dean replied through gritted teeth. He completely ignored the speed limit. Lisa realized, Dean was trying to convince himself, that it was alright to have left his friend there. She could hear the rock fall off his heart, when the flapping of wings foretold Castiel's arrival.

"You are bleeding", Ben exclaimed the next second. Dean nearly lost control of the Impala.

"It's not my blood", the angel replied calm. "Dean, they were after you and your family."

"Why now? Because you showed up on my doorstep?"

"Partially, yes", Castiel admitted.

"Well, no thanks for that, Cass. Any ideas, how we get out of this mess? And why now?" Lisa could see, how tense Dean was. Maybe he would hit Castiel. Maybe he would... She didn't know. This was a Dean she merely got to know.

"They were sent by Meg. She has the upper hand in hell at the moment and wants to... um... settle the score." Lisa guessed, Castiel wasn't used to the proverb. It was kind of cute. And the look he gave Dean... She would be damned. Inside Lisa started chuckling.

"So, there's also civil war in hell at the moment? Who's Meg's competitor?"

"Crowley."

"The Crowley that helped us? King of the crossroads?" Dean sounded surprised.

"Exactly."

"Cass, I think there is a lot you have to fill me in on", Dean said after a while. "Can we do that, when we arrived at Bobby's?"

"Alright, I'll just... sit here then."

For some reason Dean started to chuckle after that.

"Bobby!", Dean exclaimed happily, when the old hunter opened the door.

"Dean, what brings you here?" Bobby took a step to the side to let Dean, Lisa, Ben and Castiel in.

"I got visitors last night. Cass will explain the rest." Dean assured that his baby was safe.

"Now you piqued my interest. Come in. Something to drink?" Bobby shoved them all inside. Before he closed the door, he reassured himself, that there was no one outside.

"I could use a drink", Dean stated. Ben had slumped himself on the couch next to Lisa. Cass stood uncomfortably in one corner, while Dean leaned at Bobby's table.

"Just water for me, please." Lisa smiled insecure in Bobby's direction. Dean couldn't blame her. She never got to know this part of his life and he was grateful for it. Now it could become a problem.

A minute later Dean and Bobby were nipping a beer, while Lisa held a glass of water. Ben was fast asleep again.

"So, Cass, time for explanations. What did I miss in the past year?"

Castiel left his corner. "We are at war. God hasn't returned. I doubt he ever will." Dean could see, how Cass' shoulders slightly downed at that. "Michael is in the cage with Lucifer. Raphael wants to break the cage now. Completely."

"Alright, I got it that far. So, who stands against Raphael?" Dean had absolutely no idea, who was left to have enough power. Michael was gone, God was gone and Gabriel was dead. Anyone else couldn't compete with the archangel.

"Actually, me."

Dean choked on his beer. "What? Last time he smote the crap out of you." At least that's what he remembered.

"I know. Somehow I've gotten stronger since I returned." Cass sounded puzzled. "I can't explain why."

"Strong enough to stand up against an archangel? Frigging sweet." Dean whistled. "But that's not all."

"No." Cass wlaked around the room. "While Raphael and I were fighting, the same process started in hell. They lost all leaders." Azazel, Alastair, Lilith... Lucifer. Yes, seemed about right. "Meg tries to free Lucifer and Crowley tries to stop her."

Dean missed Sam now. He could make sense out of this madness. He blinked. "Why haven't Raphael and Meg come to an agreement? I mean, they do want the same, don' they?"

Cass nodded. "They do, but Raphael would never make a deal with demons." He seemed to sense Dean's next question, because he added hastily: "Me neither. Crowley would just betray me in the end. Nothing good comes out of a deal with a demon."

"Don't have to tell me", Dean said. He knew. Better than most, he guessed.

"Same here. He still owes me my soul", Bobby added grumpy.

"I thought, he would give it back after we iced Lucifer." Dean was confused.

"Son of a bitch seemed to have forgotten about it." Bobby exed his bottle and moved on to stronger alcohol. Dean was inclined to follow in that.

"I will bring Ben to bed", Lisa suddenly interrupted. She had been silent until now, so Dean had almost forgotten her.

"Bobby, do you have a safe location?"

"The panic room, idjit", Bobby grumbled. "I had some time so it's also angel-proofed now." He gave Cass a quick glance. "Sorry, Cass."

"I understand. They need to be safe from Raphael." His stare fixed on Dean. "He still wants you to be Michael's vessel. Adam won't hold him for long. Raphael will try to hurt you."

"I know", Dean replied hoarse. "I won't let him."

Bobby had left again to talk with Dean and Castiel. Ben slept. Lisa was left alone with her thoughts. She was surprisingly calm considering she sat in a supernatural bunker. War. She had a good guess, why Dean had to fight again. Heaven and hell were at war. Civil war, but also with each other. Earth was their battlefield. Humanity was just coincidentally between the four parties and would be crushed, if no one stood up to protect them. Lisa guessed that was Dean.

It took her a while to notice she was being watched. Castiel. The angel. His face was unreadable. Lisa assumed he was curious about her. At least, she would be in his position. During their talk earlier she had seen the looks he gave Dean... She knew that kind of looks.

"You love him, don't you?", she asked bluntly. From what she heard, it might be the easiest way to talk with the angel.

"Yes."

Lisa raised an eyebrow or two. That was straight forward. "But isn't it forbidden for angels? Dean said, you got into trouble before, just because you liked him." That question had nagged her for a while now.

"He said the truth." Castiel hesitated for a moment. "I should not feel. We angels were not created to feel. We are warriors of god. Emotions..." He sighed. He looked so helpless. Lisa stood up and embraced him briefly. Even she could see the conflict in his eyes, although she barely knew him.

"Emotions are a gift. Why should god grant you this gift to forbid it?" Why did god do anything? Lisa had never understood the concept behind god. It was just so... untouchable.

"Emotions impede judgement." Castiel looked at her as though it was obvious. "They are a curse."

"Maybe they are." It wasn't up to her to make him understand. He would have to think it through on his own. "Just... could you promise me something?" He backed away. Lisa smiled ruefully. That was to be expected. "When I die, will you look after Dean?"

"I will."

* * *

Next chapter in progress. I think, we will meet a new character there, but I'm not sure yet...


	3. Chapter 2 - Hell hath no fury

And back again. This story becomes longer every second I plan it. There will be a lot of characters we know from the series. I even think about putting Eve in it, but not the lame way like in the series. I mean... really? One episode, where she could really roam and that's it?

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Chapter 2 - Hell hath no fury...

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

"So, what we do know about the other sixhundred seals amounts to... bupkis." Bobby sounded annoyed. At least, Ben was sure, that was the name of the old guy. He was sitting in the living room with Cass and Dean and they were discussind something important. Ben was sure, they wouldn't want him eavesdropping. Well, he didn't care. Dean himself had told him, that sometimes dubious means were necessary.

"Yes."

"Great." Dean didn't even sound sarcastic.

"What?" Bobby gave him a confused look.

"If even Cass doesn't know a thing, I'm pretty sure, that at least Meg and Crowley don't know a thing either."

"That is to be expected", Cass agreed.

"Leaves Raphael. He will know a seal or two." There was a short silence and the sound of books being flipped through.

"Any idea how we can get ahead of that junkless dick?" That was Dean talking. Ben grinned. When Dean was around his Mom he would never swear that much.

"In the library of Alexandria was a book about all seals", Cass told them after another moment of silence.

Bobby spoke again. "The library that burned down ages ago? That ain't helping." Ben thought, Bobby sounded like a nice old uncle. Just that he didn't have chocolate in his cupboard but weapons. Kind of awesome.

"The book is still out there. It is protected by the power of god." Some more flipping pages and clothes rustling. "Somewhere is a prophet who can find and read it."

"Another prophet. Great." Dean sighed.

"I'll get my feelers out, if anybody hears something-"

"Unusual?", Dean ended Bobby's sentence. "We'll have to do better than that. If angels and demons fight here, there will be a lot of 'unusual'."

"I will notice, when the prophet is revealed." Castiel sounded pretty sure about it. Maybe, Ben thought, it was an angel thing.

"Well, if we can't do more in that direction... What are we going to do with your family?", Bobby asked.

Dean downed the rest of his bottle. "I have no idea. I mean, we can't keep 'em in the basement. Lisa would go freaking nuts and Ben is probably already upstairs." Dean laughed a little. Considering he hadn't slept the whole night, he was in a good mood.

"He is. He's been listening for a few minutes", Cass announced.

Dean just sighed. "Next time, tell me earlier." He looked towards the stairs. "Ben, you can come out now."

Obedient the ten-year-old climbed up the last steps. Before Dean could say anything, Bobby's private phone rang. He took it with him in the kitchen. Cass had his head to one side as though listening.

"I have to go", he announced and vanished.

Dean stared at Cass' place for a moment, then blinked. "Ben, what is it?", he asked, totally casual on the outside. Inside he wondered, what had happened, that Cass would vanish that sudden.

"I want to learn hunting." Ben looked to the ground.

"No", Dean answered before thinking.

"Dean, teach me." Now Ben caught Dean's eyes. He was absolutely sure about this. He wanted it.

"I never wanted this life for you. Don't ask me to do this." Dean begged him with all he could. He didn't want another child raised in motel rooms. He wanted Ben to be normal and not a freak with a knife collection, who could build a shotgun and fake passports in his sleep.

"Then I'll ask Bobby." Ben's stare got more intense. Dean had to avert his eyes.

"Ben, please..."

Ben took a step towards Dean. "Dean, you know, I have to learn it. You can't always be here to protect mom and me. The supernatural caught our trail, so now we have to kick some ass."

Against his will Dean had to laugh. What Ben had said, was absolutely right. Once you knew about the supernatural world, it somehow found you everywhere. Still... He didn't like it. He sighed. "Alright. I will teach you." Ben smiled. "Under one condition." Ben nodded excited. "You will do, what I say, when I say. It will cost you your life otherwise."

"Yes, Dean."

Dean stroked Ben's hair. "Good boy. What about learning how to shoot a rifle?"

* * *

"Rufus called. He said, there is a case nearby. You wanna go?" Bobby stepped next to Dean, who was correcting Ben's grip on his rifle. The boy learned fast. He reminded him of Dean himself, when he was that age.

"I'll go." Dean took Ben's rifle and headed towards his car without a second look. Bobby guessed, Dean was afraid. He was afraid to become like his father. A drill sergeant and not a father.

"And who's gonna have your back?", Bobby asked, before Dean got out of range.

"I can take care of myself." Bobby had feared this would happen. Dean wouldn't want to work with anyone besides his father, his brother or Castiel. None of them was here.

"Sure you can. I just thought, we could take Lisa and Ben with us as training", he suggested.

"Are you nuts?"

"It's a normal haunting, nothing special. We can handle it ourselves or-" Bobby made a meaningful pause to drill his message in Dean's thick head. "We can show Lisa and Ben how to handle this type of thing."

"I want to do it." Ben had a grim look on his face.

"I don't. It's too dangerous", Dean resisted. Bobby could understand him. A bit.

* * *

"I don't like it." Lisa was roaming in the kitchen. Apparently she made it usable again. Bobby was impressed, that she didn't even flinch at some of his... groceries.

"Me too", Dean agreed.

"And I won't go around and dig up graves and all the other stuff. That's not my world." She closed Bobby's knife drawer with a bit too much power. "I asked Detective Mills, if I could work at the police as a secretary. She consented. I'll gather information and if it's really necessary, I will learn how to fight, but your ghost hunts... Never."

Bobby watched with amusement as Dean tried to figure out, what to say. It was funny, actually. Ben smiled as well.

Lisa rambled through his cutlery and sorted out bent forks and spoons. Bobby wasn't sure, why he even kept them. She turned around to face Dean again in her left hand a particularly sharp pizza knife. "It is alright with me, if you take Ben with you. I can't protect him from this. You have no idea how little I like this thought. However... If Ben comes back with so much as a scratch, you will wish, you never met me, Dean."

Talk about menacing. Hell hath no fury...

"Oh, and Dean..." Bobby thought of that tone as his and Ben's signal to go.

"We should practice your shooting a bit more", he said and took Ben with him.

* * *

"... you will call, right?"

Dean found himself smiling. "I will. Every evening?"

"I would be glad." Lise came closer. Her lips were ajar. Perfect time to kiss her. "Make sure, that Ben sleeps enough. And don't let him eat your unhealthy stuff."

Dean rolled his eyes inwardly. There was no chance, he could follow his dad's bad example in parenting. Lisa had a good eye on her son.

* * *

Yeah, well, I think, that Lisa and Dean would give in on this matter. They won't like it, but Ben will learn a thing or two about hunting. Oh, and Lisa? I gathered she wasn't the type to be fighting on the frontlines.


End file.
